The best applications for traveling without an Internet connection

One of the biggest problems we have today, when we travel, is the connection to mobile data. Since roaming disappeared in Europe, it has ceased to be a headache. Even Vodafone has gone so far as to remove it in the United States. Very good, we can now use our data connection when we travel. Now, a second problem appears... How to navigate without this data being consumed in a couple of hours? Navigating with GPS means a waste of data, so downloading maps seems essential.In short, what we want to do is travel without an Internet connection.

We can now forget about thick guide books with maps that take forever to fold. Also forget about outdated GPS, with robotic voices that turn your trip into hell. Thanks to mobile applications, we can have a good handful of maps to consult without an Internet connection. These 5 apps allow you to reach any destination without your data suffering. Let's go with what matters: these are the best applications for traveling without an Internet connection.

Google Maps

An all-in-one app: Not only does it download the maps you need for offline viewing, but it can help you plan your entire trip. At the top of it, you can search for whatever you want: nearby ATMs, pharmacies, places to snack or dine, pubs and discos.A complete travel guide, totally free, that is permanently connected to your phone through geolocation.

In addition, the user can contribute to the application's growth, answering questions about places, providing their opinions about it and uploading their own photos. A highly recommended application, which is usually included in practically all Android phones. Maybe, at first, it's a bit hard to get used to, but nothing that a good tutorial can't remedy.

How to download the maps in Google Maps?

When opening the application, look at the top right. You will find a hamburger menu with three horizontal stripes. press it. A side tab will be displayed with different categories. The one we are interested in is 'Offline Maps'.

In 'Select your map' is where the magic happens. Press the down arrow and it will automatically send you to the place where you are right now. This is great, for example, if you are in a foreign city with WiFi and you want to stop for a moment to download the map of the area. If, on the contrary, you want to download the map of the place of destination from your city of origin, do the following:

Find the destination in the search bar. For example, Los Angeles. Then, carry out the process explained in the previous point. Display the Side menu > Offline maps > Select your map Instead of offering you the map of the place where you are, now the map of the site you have searched previously. Then, to consult the offline map, you will have to go to 'Offline Maps'.

MAPS.ME

An application endorsed by more than 10 million downloads and an average rating of 4.5 stars. With MAPS.ME you can also download all the maps of the cities you want to visit in the world for free. As soon as we open it, and depending on the quality of our compass, it places us where we are at great speed. As with Google Maps, MAPS.ME also offers you information on places such as pharmacies, ATMs, gas stations, etc. As a novelty, this application allows you to book a hotel directly thanks to a link with Booking.com. The application is totally free.

How to download maps with MAPS.ME?

As soon as you open the application, look at the bottom, where you will see four icons. You must click on the last one, where you can see three horizontal lines.Among the four categories you find, click on Download Maps. Here, in addition to seeing the maps already downloaded, you can search for many others. Simply, press the '+' icon and search for the city or country right where the cursor appears. Click on it and start the download.

Sygic: GPS Navigator and Maps

No more and no less than 50 million downloads has to its credit this classic GPS application for mobile phones. An assessment, in addition, of 4.4 stars. Unlike the rest, this application has two modalities: free and paid. Luckily for us, downloading maps is completely free. But if we want voice instructions, speed limit warnings, visualization of the crossings... This must be paid for separately. We have 7 free days to check if, indeed, it is worth the outlay. Right now they are on sale, with the permanent European license at 15 euros and the world license at 20 euros.You can purchase add-ons, such as augmented reality navigation, for 10 euros.

How to download maps with Sygic?

As in Google Maps, we find a search bar at the top and a hamburger menu that displays a side band. In this side band we must click on 'Map'. As in MAPS.ME, we have to click on the '+' sign icon and search for the desired map. We have them classified by continents and, within these, we have the countries. We simply hold down the green icon and download. If we look at the bottom, we have a bar that indicates the free space we have left on the mobile.

Tom Tom GPS Navigation Traffic

A classic of physical GPS navigator brands.An application very similar to the previous ones, in which you can efficiently find the fastest route, traffic information in real time, as well as being able to see buildings and monuments in 3D. Of course, we can download maps to view them later offline.

How to download maps with Tom Tom?

When you open the application for the first time, a fun animation appears in which you can see everything that Tom Tom allows you to do. Then, a black screen will tell you if you want to download a map, divided into continents and major groups of countries. We simply choose the area and download it. Unlike the other applications, where we could refine the search, here we must download the complete map, by blocks. For example, Central Europe or the Benelux, or Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Therefore, keep in mind that the space that you must have on your mobile must be greater than with the other applications.

HERE WeGo

10 million downloads and a 4.4-star rating is what this GPS application deserves, with which you can download maps to view later offline. Before traveling to the destination, the app informs you about the price of transport tickets, taxi fares, information about traffic or, if you take a bike, what the route will be like: flat or steeply uneven.

Includes traffic information for more than 900 cities around the world. And integrates with other applications such as BlaBlaCar, TripAdvisor, Wikipedia, Expedia, etc.

How to download maps with HERE WeGo?

Press the hamburger menu at the top left. Here, you will have to enter 'Download Maps'. On the next screen, you have to click at the bottom, on 'Download maps'. On this screen you can see how much space you have left on your mobile for downloading maps.Now choose the continent, then the country and the download is ready to start.